French MPs sing Marseillaise and boo as PM forces through pension reform bill

Leftwing French MPs sang the national anthem at the top of their voices and waved placards saying ’64 is no’ as the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, prepared to use special powers to push through without a parliamentary vote an unpopular bill raising the pension age from 62 to 64. The speaker had no success trying to quieten MPs. Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► Minutes before MPs in the lower house were to vote, Emmanuel Macron was still holding frantic meetings with senior political figures. He then switched to using the special powers rather than risk a vote he seemed poised to lose. The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► Sign up to the Guardian’s free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► Website ► Facebook ►